Monday, March 27, 2017

Generally, it is good to pick one tool, technique or lesson and stick with it in a regular rhythm (every day, every Friday, every project) until you and the students master the technology which fades into the background and lets the learning shines through. If you are still getting used to a digital tool keep working on it...then pick the next thing. If you are ready for the next thing pick your level below and give it a go.

Start in the Serve in the

Basics: Start in Kitchen. Serve in Dining Room.

Google Drive is like your kitchen. It is where you organize ingredients, create meals and store them. Instead of food, we work with words and images instead of ingredients, folders instead of cupboards and documents and presentations instead of meals. Make sure you have folders for each subject you teach and then a subfolder for each unit. Anytime you are going to upload or create anything for that unit go into the folder FIRST and then use the NEW button and all your work will be autosaved and categorized where you begin...in the google drive kitchen.

Google Classroom is like the Dining Room. That is where you serve your meals (lessons) and interact with your customers (students). Start in Drive...serve in the Classroom.

​​Digital Tools for Instruction: Once you master Google Drive and Classroom you can now begin to layer tools...something we call App smashing. Check out this list to take your next step.

Highlighted tool: ​​​StoryMaps
- Maps, data, and research blended to illuminate your topic in new ways. Go the next step and create your own...or have students do it (high-level learning and high skill needed)

Advanced: Hyperslides and Interactive notes

Interactive Notes: Pass out a copy of a presentation or project/lab directions. Some slides contain content/directions and some are organized for interactive note taking, slides where students create their own meaning with words and images and drawings or complete graphic organizers or paste links or created videos.

Hyperslides: Slides published as a view only but with links to learning content (videos/articles) and to classroom learning activities (classroom assignments/padlets/creation tools/digital experiments, etc)